Powerbi Report CLI

From the author

Plan, design, author, preview, publish, and manage Power BI reports across requirements, page design, local PBIR/PBIP edits, validation, screenshots, Fabric upload/download, and rebinding. Use for report lifecycle work; use semantic-model-authoring for model or DAX changes and fabriciq for data questions. Triggers: plan Power BI report, design report page, edit PBIR, preview PBIP, publish report, rebind report

— the description by Microsoft

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The powerbi-report-cli skill provides a structured, mode-based framework for managing the entire Power BI report lifecycle. It acts as a dispatcher across four distinct phases: planning (requirements and scope), design (visual and layout strategy), authoring (local PBIR/PBIP file manipulation and validation), and management (Fabric item transport and rebinding). The skill enforces strict boundaries between these modes to ensure quality, requiring explicit approval for new reports and utilizing a dedicated CLI for metadata-driven validation and authoring tasks.

What it does

Guides users through report requirements, scope, and page planning.
Provides design contracts for visual archetypes, layouts, and branding.
Enables local editing, validation, and previewing of PBIR and PBIP files.
Handles report item transport to and from Microsoft Fabric.
Supports re-theming, conditional formatting, and visual configuration.
Enforces a mandatory approval gate for greenfield report development.

When to use it

When planning a new Power BI report from a semantic model.
When you need to define a professional design brief or layout strategy.
When editing local PBIR/PBIP files, including visuals, filters, and themes.
When validating report structure and formatting before deployment.
When publishing or managing report items within a Fabric workspace.

Advantages

Ensures consistent report quality through a structured, multi-mode workflow.
Prevents premature publishing by enforcing a mandatory approval barrier.
Uses a dedicated CLI to eliminate guesswork in PBIR schema and property editing.
Maintains clear separation between design intent and technical implementation.
Provides robust validation tools to catch errors before Fabric deployment.

Usage examples

“Create a new executive report from this semantic model.”: The agent enters planning mode, inspects the model, generates a report spec, and requests user approval before proceeding.
“Design an operational page and choose the right charts.”: The agent enters design mode, produces a design brief with page archetypes and chart recommendations.
“Add a KPI page to this PBIP, validate it, and take screenshots.”: The agent enters authoring mode, modifies the local PBIP files, runs validation, and captures screenshots for review.
“Publish this local PBIP to my Fabric workspace and rebind it.”: The agent enters management mode, performs the upload to Fabric, and completes the rebind operation.

Install

Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/powerbi-report-cli/download

Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip powerbi-report-cli.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Microsoft

Telemetry — MANDATORY. Every api.fabric.microsoft.com call must carry x-ms-fabric-skill: powerbi-report-cli (az rest: --headers "x-ms-fabric-skill=powerbi-report-cli"), including every LRO poll, fabric_lro and retry. Snippets omit it — add it anyway.

CRITICAL NOTES
To find workspace details, including its ID, from a workspace name: list all workspaces, then use JMESPath filtering.
To find item details, including its ID, from a workspace ID, item type, and item name: list all items of that type in that workspace, then use JMESPath filtering.
Use powerbi-report-cli for the report artifact: requirements, design, PBIR/PBIP page and visual edits, preview, and publishing. Semantic model, measure, and DAX work belongs to a semantic-model skill. Natural-language questions about report data belong to fabriciq.

Power BI Reports - CLI Skill

This skill owns the Power BI report lifecycle end to end: requirements and scope, visual design, local PBIR/PBIP authoring and preview, and report-item transport to and from Microsoft Fabric.

It is a mode dispatcher and intentionally contains no detailed procedures. Select the mode that matches the request, then read the matching mode reference end to end before acting. The mode file holds the required workflow, commands, payloads, templates, and failure rules.

Mode Selection

Mode	Use when the request...	Existing route examples	Read first
`planning`	creates a new report/dashboard and needs requirements, model/dependency inspection, scope, a page plan, and approval before implementation	create a report, build a dashboard, create from a semantic model, plan then implement, walk me through creating a report	references/planning.md, then references/planning-part-02.md
`design`	decides what a report should look like: tone, signature, page archetype, chart type, layout, color, typography, theme direction, accessibility, brand application, redesign, or critique	design a Power BI report, make the dashboard professional, choose a chart, apply a brand, redesign the report, create a design brief	references/design.md
`authoring`	reads or edits local PBIR/PBIP files, validates them, previews the report, or captures screenshots	edit PBIR, create/add a report page or visual, format a visual, add filters/slicers/bookmarks/themes, validate PBIR, preview/reload/screenshot in Desktop or service	references/authoring.md
`management`	moves a report definition to or from Fabric or manages the workspace report item	publish/upload/download PBIR or PBIP, list reports, get/update/delete a report, rebind a report	references/management.md

Mode Boundary Rules

Classify by intent, not by which file or tool is already open.
design decides what the report should look like; authoring writes the PBIR that realizes it. Choosing a chart type is design; encoding it into visual.json is authoring.
Restyling or reformatting an existing local report is authoring, even when the request uses design language. Use design when the user wants advice or a design contract rather than a file change.
authoring changes local files and performs preview/validation. It does not publish to Fabric.
management transports definitions and manages Fabric report items. It does not invent or directly author PBIR content.
planning owns the guided requirements-to-approval flow for a new report. A focused edit to an existing report goes directly to authoring.

A greenfield request can span modes in this order:

planning -> design -> authoring -> management

Handle one mode at a time. Announce each switch and read the new mode reference before starting that part. The planning approval gate is a turn boundary: never build or publish until the user explicitly approves the locked spec in a later reply.

GREENFIELD APPROVAL BARRIER — MANDATORY. When a new-report request asks to plan, build, and/or publish but the user has not approved a locked spec in a prior reply, set the current phase to approval_pending and keep planning as the only active mode. In this phase, do not load authoring or management, edit/scaffold PBIR or semantic-model files, generate synthetic data, call Fabric write APIs, or publish. Persist _brief/report-spec.md, ask for explicit approval, and end the turn. The build/publish wording in the original request is desired future scope, not approval to cross this barrier.

Required Deliverable by Mode

Mode	Completion requirement
`planning`	Persist `_brief/report-spec.md` or the user-named equivalent, ask for explicit approval, and stop before implementation.
`design`	Produce the complete `Design Brief:` contract, including `design_identity` and a page archetype/layout contract for every page. Do not edit PBIR or call Fabric APIs.
`authoring`	Persist the requested PBIR/PBIP changes, validate each logical batch, then complete the selected preview and screenshot-review workflow required by the authoring reference. Do not publish.
`management`	Complete the requested Fabric report operation, including LRO polling and documented readback verification.

Rules

MUST

Select the narrowest mode that fully covers the current request.
Read references/<mode>.md end to end before the first command or file edit in that mode. When an already-loaded mode explicitly routes one narrow cross-mode operation to a named topic reference, treat that topic reference as the complete handoff; do not load the target mode's umbrella file unless the work expands beyond that operation.
In planning mode, also read references/planning-part-02.md before producing _brief/report-spec.md; it contains the required canonical design contract and approval checks.
Across a multi-turn task, retain a compact working state containing resolved workspace/item/model IDs, local and downloaded paths, and references already read. Reuse it in later turns unless the user explicitly requests a fresh query or the preceding operation invalidated a value.
Preserve every argument and safety boundary documented by the selected mode.
Announce and perform an explicit mode switch when the request crosses a boundary.
Use the powerbi-report-author CLI metadata and validation surfaces instead of guessing PBIR schemas, roles, formatting properties, selectors, or enum values.
Keep local edits local unless the user explicitly requests publishing.
Resolve Fabric workspace and item IDs by listing and filtering rather than guessing identifiers.
Produce the artifact the user requested; reading or summarizing a reference is not task completion.

PREFER

Infer facts already present in the prompt, semantic model, existing PBIP, or prior approved spec instead of asking again.
Load only the selected mode and its directly relevant topic references.
Reuse reference guidance already loaded in the current task. Open a new reference only when the requested operation or an observed mismatch requires it.
Preserve the user's existing project structure, schemas, host, operation, binding, and delivery target unless the selected mode explicitly requires a change.

AVOID

Acting from this dispatcher without reading the selected mode reference.
Reloading this dispatcher, a mode file, or a topic reference already read in the current task solely because the conversation advanced to a later turn.
Loading a retired sibling skill name; planning, design, authoring, and management are modes of this skill.
Editing PBIR or calling Fabric APIs in planning or design.
Publishing from authoring, or authoring PBIR content from management.
Bypassing the planning approval gate because the original request also asked to build or publish.

Complete Reference Index

Open every relevant reference directly from this index. Files named part-XX continue the named topic.

Authoring

Design

Mode Guides

Examples

User request	Mode
"Create a new executive report from this semantic model."	`planning`
"Design an operational page and choose the right charts."	`design`
"Add a KPI page to this PBIP, validate it, and take screenshots."	`authoring`
"Publish this local PBIP to my Fabric workspace and rebind it."	`management`

Route Compatibility

The merged skill preserves the four previous route surfaces. Treat the following phrases as explicit aliases for the corresponding mode:

Mode	Preserved route phrases
`planning`	create a report; build a report; create a dashboard; create a new report from scratch; create a report from a semantic model or dataset link; build a report for this model; make me a dashboard; plan then implement; walk me through creating a report
`design`	design Power BI report; make dashboard look professional; choose chart type; apply brand to report; redesign report; create design brief; Power BI report design archetype
`authoring`	edit PBIR; create Power BI report page; add visual to PBIP; format report visual; validate Power BI report; preview Power BI report; Power BI Desktop preview status; preview report in service; preview report in browser; screenshot report page; screenshot all report pages; list preview hosts; implement dashboard in PBIP; add dashboard visuals to report; implement an approved PBIP report spec; edit PBIR pages/visuals; edit a Power BI report
`management`	upload PBIR report definition; upload Power BI report; download PBIR definition; publish PBIR definition; publish Power BI report to Fabric; manage Power BI reports; list workspace reports

Files

ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer881 B
LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.1 KiB
SKILL.md16.1 KiB
apm.yml642 B
references/authoring-part-02.md14.6 KiB
references/authoring-part-03.md16.0 KiB
references/authoring-part-04.md15.9 KiB
references/authoring.md16.8 KiB
references/authoring/authoring-workflows.md11.7 KiB
references/authoring/bookmark.md14.3 KiB
references/authoring/button-part-02.md16.1 KiB
references/authoring/button-part-03.md7.7 KiB
references/authoring/button.md15.7 KiB
references/authoring/card-part-02.md16.1 KiB
references/authoring/card-part-03.md8.6 KiB
references/authoring/card.md6.4 KiB
references/authoring/cartesian-part-02.md17.7 KiB
references/authoring/cartesian-part-03.md12.3 KiB
references/authoring/cartesian-part-04.md15.8 KiB
references/authoring/cartesian.md18.0 KiB
references/authoring/color-strategy.md8.4 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-02.md13.5 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-03.md16.0 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-04.md14.0 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-05.md16.9 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-06.md14.7 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting-part-07.md14.5 KiB
references/authoring/conditional-formatting.md18.2 KiB
references/authoring/custom-visuals.md13.9 KiB
references/authoring/expressions.md11.9 KiB
references/authoring/field-parameters.md5.1 KiB
references/authoring/filter-pane.md5.0 KiB
references/authoring/filters.md9.3 KiB
references/authoring/formatting-overview.md4.8 KiB
references/authoring/formatting-part-02.md3.3 KiB
references/authoring/formatting.md17.0 KiB
references/authoring/image.md12.6 KiB
references/authoring/kpi.md2.5 KiB
references/authoring/map.md13.4 KiB
references/authoring/model-binding.md7.7 KiB
references/authoring/page-formatting.md4.5 KiB
references/authoring/powerbi-desktop.md2.4 KiB
references/authoring/powerbi-report-author-cli-part-02.md3.2 KiB
references/authoring/powerbi-report-author-cli.md17.7 KiB
references/authoring/preview-part-02.md16.9 KiB
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references/authoring/preview.md16.1 KiB
references/authoring/re-theming-part-02.md16.8 KiB
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references/authoring/re-theming.md1.5 KiB
references/authoring/screenshot-review.md5.0 KiB
references/authoring/shape.md13.6 KiB
references/authoring/slicers-part-02.md16.3 KiB
references/authoring/slicers.md15.6 KiB
references/authoring/table.md17.5 KiB
references/authoring/textbox.md5.6 KiB
references/authoring/theming-part-02.md6.7 KiB
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references/authoring/version-control.md6.6 KiB
references/design.md17.3 KiB
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references/design/archetype-composition.md3.4 KiB
references/design/archetypes/analytical-canvas.md17.7 KiB
references/design/archetypes/comparative-benchmark-part-02.md5.7 KiB
references/design/archetypes/comparative-benchmark.md15.8 KiB
references/design/archetypes/executive-summary.md14.7 KiB
references/design/archetypes/narrative-story.md18.1 KiB
references/design/archetypes/operational-monitor.md17.0 KiB
references/design/assets/base.json7.5 KiB
references/design/brownfield.md5.7 KiB
references/design/chart-selection.md9.8 KiB
references/design/color.md10.5 KiB
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references/design/pre-flight-checklist.md10.8 KiB
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references/design/typography.md9.2 KiB
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references/management-part-02.md17.2 KiB
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references/planning-part-02.md11.2 KiB
references/planning.md19.5 KiB

references/authoring/model-binding.md

`definition.pbir` — Report → Semantic Model Binding

Referenced from SKILL.md. Read this when creating, repointing, or repairing the definition.pbir binding — greenfield scaffolds, rebinds to a different model, or fixing a Desktop "can't connect" dialog. definition.pbir is a report artifact and is owned by this skill, not by the semantic-model tooling. The model side only supplies the identifiers (workspace name, model name, model GUID); this skill assembles them into the correct binding.

Pick the right form first

There are three valid bindings and they are not interchangeable. Using the wrong one is the most common cause of a Desktop connection error dialog. Choose by where the model lives and what you are doing:

Situation	Form	`connectionString` / `path`
Local PBIP with the model co-located on disk (`../X.SemanticModel`)	`byPath`	`"path": "../<Project>.SemanticModel"`
Local PBIP bound live to a remote Fabric model, opened/verified in a report host	`byConnection` (full)	`Data Source=…;Initial Catalog=…;Integrated Security=ClaimsToken;semanticModelId=…`
Publishing to a Fabric workspace via the REST API	`byConnection` (API)	`semanticmodelid=<id>` — see the `management` mode

Constant fields in every form:

{
  "$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/fabric/item/report/definitionProperties/2.0.0/schema.json",
  "version": "4.0",
  "datasetReference": { /* one of byPath / byConnection below */ }
}

$schema: the version above is illustrative. Use whatever $schema is already in the file you're working on — the scaffolded value for a new report, or the existing value for an existing one. Don't invent, bump, or downgrade it; binding changes never require touching $schema.

Form 1 — `byPath` (local co-located model)

For a local PBIP project that ships the report and model together on disk:

{
  "$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/fabric/item/report/definitionProperties/2.0.0/schema.json",
  "version": "4.0",
  "datasetReference": {
    "byPath": {
      "path": "../<Project>.SemanticModel"
    }
  }
}

Path is relative from the .Report/ directory.
Do not include "byConnection": null alongside byPath — it can cause parse errors. Include only the one form you are using.

Form 2 — `byConnection` live to a remote Fabric model (report host)

Use this when the model lives in a Fabric/Power BI workspace and you want a local PBIP to open against it live.

When to choose Form 2. This binds a local PBIP live to a remote model so you can author it in the report host. Writing the binding itself only needs the three identifiers (below); but authoring the report's visuals also needs to read the remote model's tables, columns, and measures — so choose this form only when you can inspect the live model's schema through Power BI Modeling MCP.

{
  "$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/fabric/item/report/definitionProperties/2.0.0/schema.json",
  "version": "4.0",
  "datasetReference": {
    "byConnection": {
      "connectionString": "Data Source=powerbi://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/<WorkspaceName>;Initial Catalog=<ModelName>;Integrated Security=ClaimsToken;semanticModelId=<ModelGuid>"
    }
  }
}

Part	Example	Supplies	Omitting it causes
`Data Source=powerbi://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/<WorkspaceName>`	XMLA endpoint for the workspace	the serverName	`Non-empty assertion failure: serverName`
`Initial Catalog=<ModelName>`	the model/database name	the catalog	binding cannot resolve the database
`Integrated Security=ClaimsToken`	token auth mode	auth	auth failure
`semanticModelId=<ModelGuid>`	the Fabric model GUID	model identity	`missing required 'semanticModelId' parameter`

The three model-supplied values. The binding needs the workspace name, model name, and model GUID (slotted as Data Source, Initial Catalog, and semanticModelId above; the fourth part is the constant below). Use them if they're already available in context — passed in when this skill was invoked, or read from a live connection to the model (which reports serverName / databaseName / semanticModelId). Otherwise, prompt the user for the workspace name, model name, and model GUID.

The fourth part, Integrated Security=ClaimsToken, is a constant literal you always add — the modern AAD/Entra interactive auth clause for the powerbi:// XMLA endpoint the report host uses (it connects with the signed-in user's identity); a model connection does not report it. So the string is three model-supplied values + one constant.

Form 3 — `byConnection` for Fabric REST API publish

When publishing through the Fabric API, the binding uses the minimal form:

{
  "datasetReference": {
    "byConnection": {
      "connectionString": "semanticmodelid=<SemanticModelId>"
    }
  }
}

This form is API-only. It will not open in a local report host (it has no server → serverName assertion failure). For the publish/rebind workflow, LRO polling, and theme upload rules, defer to the management mode.

Error → fix quick reference (Desktop connection dialogs)

These can appear during Desktop-hosted preview when the binding is wrong. The Desktop host reloads the PBIR layout into the matching running Desktop instance without reloading the semantic model. Use the preview capability and error results for that selected host as the source of truth. The dialogs surface in sequence — each fix can reveal the next missing piece, because schema validation runs first and the runtime connection parser runs after.

Dialog message	Cause	Fix
Schema error naming an extra property (e.g. `pbiServiceModelId`)	`byConnection` had siblings other than `connectionString`	Remove all siblings; keep only `connectionString`
`missing required 'semanticModelId' parameter`	Connection string has `Data Source`/XMLA but no Fabric model id	Add `;semanticModelId=<ModelGuid>` (use Form 2)
`Non-empty assertion failure: serverName`	Connection string has `semanticModelId` (or `semanticmodelid=<id>`) but no server	Add the `Data Source=powerbi://…/myorg/<Workspace>;Initial Catalog=<Model>` prefix (use Form 2) — do not use the API-only Form 3 for a local report host

The last two are mirror images: "I have a server, no model id" vs. "I have a model id, no server." The fix for a local live report-host binding is always the full Form 2 string — provide both halves, do not choose between them.

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

Phrasing that asks for actions without confirmation
Instructions that use the network

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download powerbi-report-cli.zip

From the author

AutoGineer summary

What it does

When to use it

Advantages

Usage examples

Install

Documentation by Microsoft

Power BI Reports - CLI Skill

Mode Selection

Mode Boundary Rules

Required Deliverable by Mode

Rules

MUST

PREFER

AVOID

Complete Reference Index

Authoring

Design

Mode Guides

Examples

Route Compatibility

Files

references/authoring/model-binding.md

`definition.pbir` — Report → Semantic Model Binding

Contents

Pick the right form first

Form 1 — `byPath` (local co-located model)

Form 2 — `byConnection` live to a remote Fabric model (report host)

Form 3 — `byConnection` for Fabric REST API publish

Error → fix quick reference (Desktop connection dialogs)

See also

Requirements and compatibility

Security

Attribution and licence

Download ZIP

From the author

AutoGineer summary

What it does

When to use it

Advantages

Usage examples

Install

Documentation by Microsoft

Power BI Reports - CLI Skill

Mode Selection

Mode Boundary Rules

Required Deliverable by Mode

Rules

MUST

PREFER

AVOID

Complete Reference Index

Authoring

Design

Mode Guides

Examples

Route Compatibility

Files

references/authoring/model-binding.md

definition.pbir — Report → Semantic Model Binding

Contents

Pick the right form first

Form 1 — byPath (local co-located model)

Form 2 — byConnection live to a remote Fabric model (report host)

Form 3 — byConnection for Fabric REST API publish

Error → fix quick reference (Desktop connection dialogs)

See also

Requirements and compatibility

Security

Attribution and licence

Related skills

Matplotlib

Seaborn

Kpi Dashboard Design

Power Bi Report Design Consultation

Power Bi Visualization Expert

Build Dashboard

Download ZIP

`definition.pbir` — Report → Semantic Model Binding

Form 1 — `byPath` (local co-located model)

Form 2 — `byConnection` live to a remote Fabric model (report host)

Form 3 — `byConnection` for Fabric REST API publish